Shloka 33

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

Devanagari script

विष्णुरुवाच । कर्तुं धर्त्तुं भवानंगादवतीर्णो ममाव्ययात् । विस्मृतोऽसि जगन्नाथं नारायणमनामयम्

Transliteration

viṣṇuruvāca | kartuṃ dharttuṃ bhavānaṃgādavatīrṇo mamāvyayāt | vismṛto'si jagannāthaṃ nārāyaṇamanāmayam

Translation

พระวิษณุตรัสว่า “เพื่อการกระทำและการทรงค้ำจุน เจ้าได้อวตารลงมาจากพระวรกายอันไม่เสื่อมสลายของเรา แต่เจ้ากลับหลงลืมนารายณะ ผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งโลก ผู้ปราศจากทุกข์โรค”

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कर्तुम्: to do; to make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)

• धर्तुम्: to hold; to sustain
• धर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ

• भवान्: you (honored)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरार्थक 2nd-person pronoun (‘you’)

• अङ्गात्: from (my) body/limb
• अङ्गात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवतीर्णः: descended; incarnated
• अवतीर्णः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘descended/incarnated’—भवान् इति विशेषण

• मम: of me; my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अव्ययात्: from the imperishable (one)
• अव्ययात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘imperishable’ (here qualifying an implied source: ‘from my imperishable (self)’)

• विस्मृतः: forgetful; having forgotten
• विस्मृतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘forgotten/forgetful’—भवान् इति विशेषण

• असि: are
• असि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जगन्नाथम्: the Lord of the world
• जगन्नाथम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—जगतः नाथः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनामयम्: free from disease; flawless
• अनामयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनामय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण—नारायणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Sṛṣṭi-kathā frame: dispute/forgetfulness arising from māyic veiling at the beginning of creation

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narayana

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse highlights how cosmic roles (creation, sustenance, dissolution) can become grounds for ego and forgetfulness; spiritually, it warns that liberation requires remembrance of the Supreme Reality beyond functional power—Shaiva Siddhanta frames this as moving from limited agency (pāśa-bound) to true knowledge of Pati (the Lord).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In the Shiva Purana’s narrative style, such dialogues prepare the ground for establishing the highest object of worship: Saguna Shiva as the accessible Lord symbolized by the Liṅga, while also pointing to the transcendent (nirguṇa) truth beyond sectarian pride—devotion to the Liṅga trains remembrance and humility.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is smaraṇa (remembrance) supported by mantra-japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—along with simple Shaiva disciplines like applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and wearing rudrākṣa to stabilize devotion and reduce forgetfulness.